Taunton man accused of animal cruelty after ‘severely malnourished’ dog found in West Bridgewater

WEST BRIDGEWATER, Mass. (WLNE) — The West Bridgewater Police Department said a Taunton man was charged with animal cruelty after a “severely malnourished” dog was allegedly found in his vehicle on Nov. 24.

27-year-old Devin Preeper, of Taunton, was charged with animal cruelty on Tuesday.

A West Bridgewater police officer was patrolling on North Main Street around 11:45 a.m. when they saw a vehicle allegedly run a red light and stopped the vehicle.

Police alleged a “significantly underweight” dog was found inside the vehicle during the stop.

Sprout, the nine-month old puppy, was taken to Westbridge Veterinary Referral Hospital for treatment.

Police determined Sprout was “severely malnourished” and continued to document the dog’s condition, gather veterinary reports, and conduct interviews, according to police.

During the investigation, police confirmed Preeper was the dog’s owner and after further investigation, charged him with animal cruelty.

Sprout was released from the veterinary hospital and transferred to the Animal Protection Center of Southeastern Massachusetts, where police said her condition is “slowly improving.”

Preeper is scheduled to be arraigned on Dec. 23.

Police continue to investigate the incident.